Thoughts and postings from an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

From England-The Archbishop of Canterbury has learned, at the age of 60, that his father was not who he thought, but another man entirely -- Winston Churchill's private secretary, in fact.The Archbishop, Justin Welby, issued a statement Friday saying that DNA tests had proved that his father was not Gavin Welby, an alcoholic who died nearly 40 years ago, but the late Sir Anthony Montague Browne.

"This comes as a complete surprise," Welby wrote.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the leader of the Church of England and the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes Episcopal and Anglican churches in more than 165 countries.

Bishop Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, has fired two high-ranking leaders for not being able to comport themselves according to the standards of the church in dealing with other employees. Another executive has been demoted following an independent internal investigation.

According to Fox News, deputy chief operating officer Sam McDonald, director of public engagement and mission communications Alex Baumgarten, and chief operating officer Bishop Stacy Sauls were reported to have violated the workplace policies of the church. All three were put on administrative leave last year, on Dec. 9.

Friday, April 8, 2016

From The Church Times-TWO of the most senior officials in the Episcopal Church in the United States have been sacked, and a bishop demoted, after an independent investigation into misconduct.

Last December, the Presiding Bishop, the Most Revd Michael Curry, placed the chief operating officer, Bishop Stacy Sauls, the deputy chief operating officer, the director of mission, Samuel McDonald, and the director of public engagement and mission communications, Alex Baumgarten, on administrative leave after many allegations of misconduct (News,18 December).

In a statement on Monday, Presiding Bishop Curry announced that Mr McDonald and Mr Baumgarten had had their employment terminated, as the investigation had found that their behaviour violated “the highest standards of personal and professional conduct embodying the love of God and reflecting the teachings and the way of Jesus”.

A Fresno appellate court has upheld a ruling that says St. James Cathedral in Fresno and 27 other properties taken by a breakaway Anglican church group must be returned to the national Episcopal Church.

In 2014, Judge Donald S. Black ruled in Fresno Superior Court that the breakaway Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin led by Bishop John-David Schofield had no legal right to the properties that are worth tens of millions of dollars.

In his ruling, Black wrote that the properties were held in trust for the Episcopal Church and Schofield lacked authority to transfer the properties to the breakaway church.Read more here: